Desegregating Roma schools. A cost-benefit analysis for Romania

- project proposal -  

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School segregation of Roma in Romanian public system is a fact proved by empirical research [1]. There are several ways in which school segregation take place but in most cases an important condition is residential segregation of compact/isolated Roma communities. Roma communities are usually situated in big city suburbs or isolated from village in the rural case.

Local authorities look at Roma school segregation at a normal fact justified by residential segregation. Public authorities use to present school segregation as having unintended reasons such:

	Spatial proximity of segregated schools from Roma communities
	Integration difficulties characterizing children from poor families
	A lack of financial resources of Roma families to sustain their children in schools with other ethnic majorities in which school requirements are bigger
	A lack of facilities needed to teach Roma in the same schools with Romanian or Magyars

Previous field research [2] show that segregation mechanism is the following: Roma children learn the primary level in segregated schools as a “protection” measure for them from exposing to walk on long distances, following that in secondary level to learn in a multiethnic school (hereinafter mixed school). In fact learning Roma in segregated schools does not protect them but contrary have extremely negative consequences for their future. Because of a very low educational level achieved in primary school resulting in most of the cases in illiteracy, Roma children are pushed to dropout the school in the secondary level by successive pupil’s failures to get their removes.

One of the our work hypothesis is the following: from the point of view of human and financial resources, school buildings and facilities segregated schools are much lower than schools with other ethnic majorities.

Finally, there are schools where segregation is complete functioning for primary and secondary level also. The school from Balta Arsa, Moldova region is an example for complete segregation [3].

Another work hypothesis is the following: the transition period (after 1989) bring with it an increasing of school segregation for Roma. We do not have quantitative data to prove this hypothesis but recent study cases (see Roma Children in Romania, Unicef 1999) show that schools that previous to year 1989 experienced intercultural education, after this year were changed in segregated in Roma schools. The former communist regime by its assimilation policies including education tried to deny the Roma identity and to integrate Roma in mixed school but whiteout the possibility to study their mother tongue. Recent studies [4] (ICCV 2001) show that decades 1960-1980 were favorable years for Roma regarding school achievement and qualifications but with negative consequences regarding ethnic identity. So, in these years large parts of Roma population were assimilated to the majority, public school system being a tool for this assimilation process.

 Another mechanism of school segregation is the case of so called “special schools”, in fact schools for children with psychical disabilities. It is hard to believe, in the Pata Rat Roma community from the garbage platform near Cluj City, for example, that all children at age of school can have psychical disabilities justifying their presence in a “special school”. However in Romania school segregation in the “special school” form seems to be lower than in other countries from Central and Eastern Europe such Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia [5].

The school segregation phenomena on ethnic or racial reasons is not unique for Romania or Central and East European states. But in other countries and we reefer here at the USA case, the state experienced active measure to desegregate public schools for more than 40 years while in Central and Eastern Europe the desegregation process is at the beginning and in Romania this problem it is not at lest on the public debate agenda.

In our opinion economic and social costs of maintaining segregated Roma schools are very high and are reflected in:

	A very high unemployment rate for Roma comparative with the rate for the whole population
	A higher incidence of illiteracy for Roma compared with majority.
	A very high prevalence of extreme poverty for Roma resulting in marginalization and social exclusion
	Roma are excluded from democratic process because almost half from them being illiterates cannot read electoral list and then cannot vote.
	Low level of education caused by schooling in segregated school does not allow Roma to exercise a birth control resulting in a very high fertility. Low levels of education are also a cause for marriages at ages between 12 and 16.
	Low chances of integration for Romania in UE structures caused by Roma social exclusion. In this respect school segregation is a main factor conducting to social exclusion for Roma. Roma social integration is the second main request after institutionalized children problem requested by UE for Romania integration.

Our main hypothesis is the following: Economic and social costs of maintaining segregated schools for Roma greater exceed the costs of desegregation measures. Due to this fact desegregating measures must be urgently encouraged with positive effects regarding Roma social integration. But, must not be forgot potential perverse effects (in Raymond Boudon terms) of desegregation measures residing in a possible assimilation of Roma (like in communist period) if Roma are not integrated in really intercultural school allowing them to study their mother tongue and their culture. In this respect we propose intercultural school which can stimulate ethnic identity affirmation of Roma. Also, policymakers must take care that positive effects produced by school desegregation to be followed by complex social policies measures like antipoverty programs targeting Roma, affirmative actions on labor market and universities, familial planning and civic education programs in order to fully integrate Roma in Romanian society. 

Objectives

1.      To estimate the number of segregated Roma schools at national level and number of Roma pupils that learn in these schools on primary and secondary education. To evaluate segregated schools and mixed schools in terms of human and financial resources and scholar achievement.

2.      To identify and evaluate economic and social costs of maintaining segregated schools in terms of unemployment, illiteracy, civic participation, social exclusion and related costs caused by poor education achieved in segregated schools.

3.      To elaborate a strategy for desegregating Roma schools in general terms for Central and Eastern Europe and in specific terms for Romania. To estimate costs, to evaluate benefits and potential perverse effects.

Methodology

 The research methodology is a complex one including research session, secondary data analysis on quantitative and qualitative data, statistic simulation and Delphi method.

The originality of proposed research come from the comprehensive perspective regarding school segregation and from the various methods applied for the first time in Romania on this topic. We reefer here at secondary data analyses, statistic simulation and Delphi method applied to Roma population study.

  1.      Research session

In this stage we will make a comprehensive synthesis of previous studies in the field of Roma education, both in Romanian and foreign specialty literature. We will also gather information on main laws and regulations concerning the legislative frame for educational policies for Roma (European Council, Ministry of Education and Research). We are interested about relevant information regarding school segregation and desegregation in various countries that experienced these phenomena (Central and Eastern Europe but also Western Europe, United States or South Africa).

 2.      Secondary analysis of quantitative data

This method consists in analyzing data gathered in previous research for other reasons than the present ones. These research are in most of the cases insufficient processed and secondary data analysis can reveal new findings on different topic concerning Roma pupils education and school segregation. We refer here to databases of Ministry of Education and Research, Institute of Educational Sciences and Research Institute of Life Quality, data gathered between 1992-2000. These data are in 3 categories: official census of population, school micro census and national samples representatives for Roma population. By secondary analysis we can answer to the following questions:

How is situation of facilities and buildings in segregated schools compared with mixed schools? But teacher's qualifications? What are the main problems in segregated schools? But in mixed schools? What are scholar achievements in segregated schools compared with mixed schools? What are the main solution tested in these schools?

From our knowledge such analysis will be for the first time performed in Romania emphasizing internal systemic  causes generating school failure of Roma.

 3.      Secondary analyses of qualitative data

We refer here to individual interviews and focus groups interviews with the following actors: teachers, principals, Roma parents and children from mixed and segregated schools and Romanian (or Magyars) parents and pupils from mixed schools. We have also interview data with local authorities from these communities. These interviews data were gathered from previous research in which I participated or I conducted for the Ministry of Education and Research (MER), Research Institute for Life Quality (RILQ), Institute for Educational Sciences, Unicef. These qualitative data will be very useful in catching teachers and principals attitude regarding school segregation, potential leaders of school desegregation. We are also interested about Roma parents and pupils attitude regarding segregation, Romanian parents and pupils and also opinion from local authorities representatives in their quality of recipients of desegregation measures. In this way we can test the availability and opportunity towards desegregation measures and potential opposition from part of main actor implied by these measures and their position regarding segregation.

4.    Statistic simulation

This method will help us to estimate the number of Roma pupils learning in segregated schools having as starting point official census data, national samples and micro census of schools. It is well known the fact that number of Roma in Romania differ depending on data sources: official census, research institute estimation on national samples, Roma NGO estimation. Using different data we will conceive different estimation costs implied by maintaining school segregation in terms of unemployment illiteracy, poverty, civic participation. We will calculate also costs implied by desegregation, realizing in this way a cost benefit analysis of desegregating public school system.

 5.   Delphi method 

The aim of this method is to bring experts consent on a controversial topic. In our case we intend to obtain experts consent on main modalities for school desegregation and on potential effects (positive and negative) of this measures. We will invite experts from research institutes with experience in Roma education field, Roma NGO’s and Ministry of Education and Research. In a first stage, Delphi method avoid direct interactions between participants in order to prevent influences of informal group leader on other participants. In the next phases public debate is encouraged and the moderator try to solve points of conflict in order to strength common position and to reach consent about main strategies for desegregation and potential effects. Delphi method has an essential contribution in designing a good and legitimate strategy for school desegregation. We will try to assure the success of this method by bringing together key actors concerned with Roma children education. Beyond of a strategy of desegregation we will try to raise awareness about negative effects of school segregation and urgent need for active measures of desegregation and to introduce this topic in the public debate.

 Expected results

	Realizing an essential book in Roma education field having as potential users policymakers, NGO leaders, Roma communities, teachers, Roma children, academic community.
	Realizing a workshop with experts and key actors in Roma education field.
	Disseminating results by a mass-media conference where will be invited policymakers, Ministry of Education and Research representatives, researchers, Roma leaders, NGO leaders, journalists. We hope that such a conference will bring the desegregation topic in Romanian public debate and will raise awareness about this necessity at the level of Romanian society.

 

 

[1] See Mihai Surdu in Roma Children in Romania, Save the Children - UNICEF, 1999, chapter School Education and Mihai Surdu RSS Final Report, chapter Types of school

[2] See  Mihai Surdu in Roma Children Education in Social situation of Roma in Buzau county article in Social Research Review no.3-4 / 1998

 [3] See Mihai Surdu in in Roma Children in Romania, Save the Children - UNICEF, 1999, chapter School Education

 [4] See Social Observatory of Roma, Institute for Quality of Life, 2001, under print

[5] See Roma in the Educational Systems of Central and Eastern Europe, European Roma Rights Center, Summer 1998

 

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